Inside door handle deletes

[Merc Cruzer]

Originally Posted by GLAmes

From the Ford. On the outside you can see an imprint of something circular and on the inside the imprint of whatever held it in place.

The circular hole, is where the door handle went. The attached picture is a 53' Mercury, showing the location of window switches, blanking plate medallion, and door handle. Hopefully this will explain all the holes in your door panels.

[GLAmes]

The circular imprint I was referring to is where the blanking plate went.

[GLAmes]

Originally Posted by rich b

Anybody have an idea what these were for; or if they are even Ford parts.

The parts may resemble late '50s interior handles.

They fit over door and window crank splines and snap into place with an internal spring.

Part number 1A-18333 9280

Maybe lost in the mix, so I'll ask again. Do you, by chance, have a couple of them to sell?

[Merc Cruzer]

Sorry for the confusion.

Originally Posted by GLAmes

From the Ford. On the outside you can see an imprint of something circular and on the inside the imprint of whatever held it in place.

The marks on the back of the board, where the blanking plate goes, seams to be misleading:


"They fit over door and window crank splines and snap into place with an internal spring."

[rich b]

Originally Posted by GLAmes

Maybe lost in the mix, so I'll ask again. Do you, by chance, have a couple of them to sell?

Maybe you missed them; but check your private messages and emails concerning the parts.

[GLAmes]

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Thanks PMs sent.

[GLAmes]

Originally Posted by Merc Cruzer

"They fit over door and window crank splines and snap into place with an internal spring."

That would be true if there were window cranks or a door handle there. As it is there is just a square hole in the backboard so some type of holder is needed.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by 5851a

I believe as others was early form of child lock outs. My Dad installed a set on our 56 Mercury 4 door rear doors when my little brother became a toddler.

Do you remember if these were the the exact replacements he used?

It seems to me that it would be dangerous to go about it in this fashion. If there was a crash it would be almost impossible to get out of the car.

Of course, this was all before RALPH NADER.

[5851a]

Originally Posted by KULTULZ

Do you remember if these were the the exact replacements he used?

It seems to me that it would be dangerous to go about it in this fashion. If there was a crash it would be almost impossible to get out of the car.

Of course, this was all before RALPH NADER.

Yes they were, the outside door handles still functioned. Same thing as the child guard latches on the rear doors of most every 4 door built since the mid/late 80's. Flip the little lever and the inside handle is non functioning. Remember Dad fighting the spring clips without a proper tool. I stuck around for the language lessons. Think I was 6 or 7.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by 5851a

Yes they were, the outside door handles still functioned. Same thing as the child guard latches on the rear doors of most every 4 door built since the mid/late 80's. Flip the little lever and the inside handle is non functioning.

Remember Dad fighting the spring clips without a proper tool. I stuck around for the language lessons. Think I was 6 or 7.

So, the escutcheons were changed by your dad when children were not going to be in the back seat? This is my confusion (among many others). If the front seat is incapacitated (big word for me) how were the rear seat passengers able to get out before EMS arrived?

There was a button kit available during this period that would have seemed a lot safer in use.

[KULTULZ]

What if ...

These were intended for use with a DEALER INSTALLED POWER WINDOW KIT that used the original manual regulator?

I do not have all the necessary early reference materials to track it down. There had to be an FORD ornament similar to the MERC used on factory POWER-LIFT WINDOWS to keep from having to introduce a separate interior door trim panel ($$$).

[GLAmes]

I can't envision a dealer installed power window conversion. The regulators are completely different, the doors have holes cut into them for the switches and there are wire hanesses that route under the front doors. Too much time and expense for a small gain.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by GLAmes

I can't envision a dealer installed power window conversion. The regulators are completely different, the doors have holes cut into them for the switches and there are wire hanesses that route under the front doors. Too much time and expense for a small gain.

If you study the 1954 power regulator to the pre-1954 regulator, they don't operate as much later REGULATORS do. I can see a kit released to convert the earlier style regulator to power if you consider the regulator gear drive design.

As for wiring, just study a 1955/56 backup lamp kit. It's just like PREGO, it's in there.

If a customer comes in and falls in heat for a certain car but the car doesn't have the option(s) he desires, FORD made available all types of DEALER KITS. Unfortunately, this info was deleted from MPC FINAL ISSUE and one would have to find period correct BODY MANUALS.

The 1954 WSM describes STYLE A and STYLE B POWER-LIFT regulators. Therein lies the secret.

There's something missing in this discussion. I have 1952-54 WSM in storage. Guess I had best get off my duffer ...

BTW - I believe the escutcheon being discussed (CASTING ID NO 1A-18333 0928) has a FORD SERVICE PN B4A 7323876-A if anyone has additional info.

[GLAmes]

I have both Style A and B regulators. Neither resembles the hand crank regulators in my parts car. Backup light kits aren't in the same league as a power window conversion would be. A wire, a switch and two lights. Pretty simple.

[KULTULZ]

Backup light kits aren't in the same league as a power window conversion would be. A wire, a switch and two lights. Pretty simple.

No, not so simple. The OEM kit duplicated the factory install within a box, including factory harnesses. That is what I was trying to get across.

[GLAmes]

Still, the harness is one wire to the rear. The lights ground to the body. A switch is added to the steering column base and a hot wire is plugged into the main harness. The whole procedure could be done in a couple hours. Replacing regulators and adding a complex wire harness with relays, switches, motors and fuses would require dissassembly of the interior and a skilled mechanic. I'm dreading the day after I get my car back from the paint shop that I go to install the stuff in the doors. The harness was strung with nothing in the interior, the doors removed and front clip off. Not too difficult that way. Not so easy if the car is assembled. Would someone pay the cost of all that just to not have to use a hand crank for the windows. I don't think so.

[KULTULZ]

Would someone pay the cost of all that just to not have to use a hand crank for the windows. I don't think so.

FORD would have not had the kits available if they would not sell.

The kit would have most likely used the manual regulator with modification(s). Like I said, I need earlier model years info which is available but expensive.

A DEALER would have had at the least one TECH that would specialize in warranty work and another that specialized in modifying new cars.

All I am saying is that the part shown would have been too expensive for FORD to release as an ornament (IMO). Look at the MERC ornament. It had another use.

As my DISCLAIMER states, your opinion and mileage may vary.

[5851a]

Originally Posted by KULTULZ

So, the escutcheons were changed by your dad when children were not going to be in the back seat? This is my confusion (among many others). If the front seat is incapacitated (big word for me) how were the rear seat passengers able to get out before EMS arrived?

There was a button kit available during this period that would have seemed a lot safer in use.

We would have got out the same way we would have if we had been in the rear of our 2 door 53 Mercury. Some parents didn't like 4 drs with young kids.